The optical reference systems comprising shadow board reference systems and light mask reference systems have remained largely unchanged for over 30 years. Over this period of time industry has learned to accept the many challenges and limitations of these current systems including track misalignment do to projector failure or blockage, system interference from reference systems operating in the nearby vicinity or on adjacent track, safety hazards due to high intensity projector light sources interfering with machine operator's vision, etc. The present disclosure addresses these and other needs in the art to provide the efficiency and accuracy of these reference systems and to make the process of track alignment safer and more cost effective.